Cabinet responds to advocates’ concerns regarding cuts to children’s program

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level, causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. This stems from a decision by the Department for Community Based Services to cut funding for both programs – a move that was expected to save only 0.4 percent of the state budget.

Advocates across the state responded to these cuts to children’s programs by submitting written comments and testifying at a public hearing on May 21. Single parents of young children wrote about how they may have to quit their jobs because they can no longer afford child care. Grandparents raising grandchildren shared how important those $300 monthly kinship care payments were in helping them to be able to afford to raise the kids. One after another, advocates made the clear case that the cuts threaten public safety, education, the health and development of children, and the stability of families in ways that will cost Kentucky for years to come.

On Monday, the Cabinet released its official statements of consideration to advocates’ concerns. In a nutshell, it responded in purely economic terms saying we just don’t have the money. Read advocates’ comments on child care subsidies and kinship care and the Cabinet’s response for yourself. What’s your take?

Kentucky Youth Advocates and our partners across the state will continue to make the case that in addition to causing immediate harm, these cuts are pennywise and pound foolish. It’s time for our state to build a budget that gives every child the best opportunity to thrive in childhood and succeed as an adult.

4 Comments

I really do not understand why the State will continue to pay for children with. CPS case ONLY if the caregiver is not a relative. Is this really in the best interest of the child??? I think not! My heart is broken for the families I am losing in my program. Some of them….we are the best part of their day!

It appears once again we are a penny wise and a dollar foolish stopping our children from attending day care by cutting the support is foolish. I DON’T OWN A DAYCAREor do I receive any assistance nor does any of my family. We should be doing more for the working poor not less.

This is obscured!! I am a single mother to two boys – I already work 40 + hours a week, I own my own home, I pay my bills, I pay for our food, and the one thing I need help with the government decides to cut first?!? Why hurt the working poor? Why not make these people living on welfare get a job theres some money there.. quit giving people excessive amounts of food stamps for them to sell.. Enough is enough. All this is going to do is make people like me who have no other option quit their jobs and live off the government. What little bit of money you are saving by hurting the working poor will be paid out more when you start paying for these peoples rent, food, insurance, etc… Think!!

Please support our working poor mothes, and mothers to be that are trying to make a difference in their lives, and the lives of their children. They need child care assistance to put their children in reputable day care. The children need some form of education even while babies to be nurturned in a positive environment. Working mothers cannot afford day care on the salaries they get, and pay rent, electric, water, phone, care, insurance and household items, etc. Instead of putting the money in policing the communities where 6 to 7 police cars show up when pulling over one car; that money should be spent by investing in mothers who are attempting to raise their children right, so there won’t be so many criminals unattended.
These mothers need help, especially with child care. Please do not stop child care assistance